Japan's Toyota Motor Corp. and its truck-making affiliate¹ have joined a project to develop an environmentally friendly vehicle capable of moving both on roads and railways, an official said Monday.

Toyota and affiliate Hino Motors Ltd. will take part in the development of a new model of a road-rail vehicle originally created by railway operator JR Hokkaido, a Hino spokesman said.

The two auto² companies are providing technology and materials to strengthen the front part of the "dual³ mode vehicle" so that it can carry up to 25 people.

The railway firm is already developing several prototypes of road-rail vehicles and has begun test drives.

The operator, which operates railways in the nation's northern island of Hokkaido, has developed the vehicle as part of its effort to utilize⁴ railways now out of service due to a sharp decline in passengers in the region.

The vehicle has eight wheels -- four iron wheels for railways and four rubber tyres for roads -- and is powered by a diesel⁵ engine. It is said to burn only one fourth of the fuel of conventional diesel-powered cars.

"Our contribution is expected to be another step toward more practical use of the dual mode vehicle," a Hino spokesman said.

The latest vehicle is expected to be completed by mid-June and will be displayed at a welcome event for this year's Group of Eight summit in Hokkaido in July for which climate change is high on the agenda.
(Agencies)

日本一位官员于本周一表示，日本丰田汽车集团及其卡车制造分公司目前已参与研发一款路轨两用的环保机动车。

日野汽车的发言人称，丰田汽车及日野分公司将参与一款新型路轨两用车的研发项目，这款车最初是由日本北海道旅客铁道公司研制出来的。

这两家汽车公司主要提供技术和材料，加强“两用车”的车体前部构造，使其最多能够容纳25人。

北海道旅客铁道公司已经研发出路轨两用车的几款样车，并投入试运行。

北海道旅客铁道公司一直在日本北部岛屿北海道经营铁路运营业务，由于这一地区的铁路因客流量急剧下降而停运，北海道公司采取各种措施利用铁路，研发路轨两用车便是其中之一。

这款柴油驱动的两用车共有八个轮子，分别是四个在铁轨上运行的铁轮胎和四个在陆地上运行的橡胶轮胎。据说这款车的耗油量仅为传统柴油车的四分之一。

日野公司的发言人表示：“我们将为进一步推进两用车的实际应用做出贡献。”

这款车预计于六月中旬出厂，并将于7月份在北海道召开的八国集团峰会欢迎仪式上亮相。今年八国峰会的主要议题是气候变化。